Hi all.

short version: if you have to disconnect aux. battery(ies) tied to a
solar panel, disconnect your solar panel from its' controller. Solar
panel power to an unloaded controller can damage the controller.

I recently did a lot of automotive work on my 1981 Westy.
It has a solar panel, I store the vehicle in a dark garage.
After finishing work, (I did some welding) I reconnected the batteries,
and noticed my charge controller did not light up.
I contacted the vendor of this solar panel system.
We concluded I may've damaged the controller by leaving
it connected to panel with no load (battery) connected.
I figure this happened while moving bus outside, then inside,
to re-orient it for automotive work required.

Thankfully, this was an inexpensive PWM 10 Amp controller.   ;)

Neil.

--
Neil n

Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>

1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>

1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>

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